Heat exchanger and air conditioner

Abstract

An outdoor heat exchanger includes: a group of windward flat tubes, a group of leeward flat tubes and a distributor. When the outdoor heat exchanger acts as an evaporator, the refrigerant flows through the plurality of second flat tubes, the plurality of fourth flat tubes, the plurality of third flat tubes, and the plurality of first flat tubes in this order, and when the outdoor heat exchanger acts as a condenser, the refrigerant flows through the plurality of first flat tubes, the plurality of third flat tubes, the plurality of fourth flat tubes, and the plurality of second flat tubes in this order.

1 . A heat exchanger that exchanges heat between refrigerant and air, the heat exchanger comprising:
 a group of windward flat tubes including a plurality of first flat tubes spaced apart from each other and a plurality of second flat tubes spaced apart from each other;   a group of leeward flat tubes including a plurality of third flat tubes spaced apart from each other and a plurality of fourth flat tubes spaced apart from each other, the group of leeward flat tubes being disposed at a leeward position with respect to the group of windward flat tubes in a flow direction of air; and   a distributor connected to ends of the plurality of third flat tubes and configured to distribute the refrigerant flowing in from an inflow tube disposed at a central position of the distributor to the plurality of third flat tubes through a plurality of branches when the heat exchanger acts as an evaporator,   when the heat exchanger acts as an evaporator, the refrigerant flows through the plurality of second flat tubes, the plurality of fourth flat tubes, the plurality of third flat tubes, and the plurality of first flat tubes in this order, and   when the heat exchanger acts as a condenser, the refrigerant flows through the plurality of first flat tubes, the plurality of third flat tubes, the plurality of fourth flat tubes, and the plurality of second flat tubes in this order,   the distributor has a fourth convex portion protruding outward from a main body of the distributor, and   the fourth convex portion protruding outward from a main body of the distributor is formed with a channel through which the refrigerant flowing in from the inflow tube and branched by the distributor flows.   
     
     
         2 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the number of the plurality of first flat tubes is greater than the number of the plurality of second flat tubes,   in the group of windward flat tubes, the plurality of first flat tubes are disposed above the plurality of second flat tubes,   the number of the plurality of third flat tubes is greater than the number of the plurality of fourth flat tubes, and   in the group of leeward flat tubes, the plurality of third flat tubes are disposed above the plurality of fourth flat tubes.   
     
     
         3 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein
 in the group of windward flat tubes, one ends of the plurality of first flat tubes opposite to the other ends where the refrigerant flows in and out are connected to each other in pairs in the vertical direction, and one ends of the plurality of second flat tubes opposite to the other ends where the refrigerant flows in and out are connected to each other in pairs in the vertical direction,   in the group of leeward flat tubes, one ends of the plurality of third flat tubes opposite to the other ends where the distributor is connected are connected to each other in pairs in the vertical direction, and one ends of the plurality of fourth flat tubes opposite to the other ends where the distributor is connected are connected to each other in pairs in the vertical direction,   in the group of windward flat tubes and the group of leeward flat tubes, the other ends of the plurality of first flat tubes opposite to the ends that are connected to each other in pairs in the vertical direction and the other ends of the plurality of third flat tubes opposite to the ends that are connected to each other in pairs in the vertical direction are connected to each other alternately, and the other ends of the plurality of second flat tubes opposite to the ends that are connected to each other in pairs in the vertical direction and the other ends of the plurality of fourth flat tubes opposite to the ends that are connected to each other in pairs in the vertical direction are connected to each other alternately.   
     
     
         4 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a first end of each flat tube in the group of windward flat tubes opposite to the other end where the refrigerant flows in and out is connected to a second end of a corresponding flat tube in the group of leeward flat tubes group opposite to the other end where the distributor is connected.   
     
     
         5 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a first connection member that connects the first end and the second end which are not coaxial to each other with respect to a flow direction of the refrigerant, wherein   the first connection member includes a first convex portion protruding outward from a main body of the first connection member in response to each flat tube in the group of windward flat tubes, and a second convex portion protruding outward from the main body of the first connection member in response to each flat tube in the group of leeward flat tubes.   
     
     
         6 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a second connection member that connects the first end and the second end which are coaxial to each other with respect to a flow direction of the refrigerant, wherein   the second connection member includes a third convex portion protruding outward from a main body of the second connection member in response to each flat tube in the group of windward flat tubes and each flat tube in the group of leeward flat tubes.   
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the distributor includes a plurality of plate members, each of which is provided with holes.   
     
     
         9 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of first fins provided on the plurality of first flat tubes and the plurality of second flat tubes; and   a plurality of second fins provided on the plurality of third flat tubes and the plurality of fourth flat tubes, wherein   an interval between the plurality of first fins is larger than an interval between the plurality of second fins.   
     
     
         10 . An air conditioner equipped with the heat exchanger according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         11 . The heat exchanger according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the first connection member is composed of a plurality of plate members,   the plurality of plate members includes a first plate member formed with the first convex portion and the second convex portion, and a second plate member formed with a stepped hole that connects a channel formed inside the first convex portion and a channel formed inside the second convex portion.